When a damphir's blood is spilled
by MoonlightxMorphine
Summary: Loosing one's parents at a young age can take a toll on one's everything. Not really getting to know your parents before is even worse. But Haruno Sakura soon realizes that the worst thing is having to figure out what you really are on your own...GaaxSaku


WOWWY WOW WOW!! It's been so long… Well, here's your long awaited I'm-so-sorry-words-could-never-possibly-explain-it gift! Oh! And 3 things I forgot to mention:

1. Each chapter will be super effing long (and believe me my friggin' fingers as well as my ass from sitting on it all day are sore!!!)

2. Hinata's OOC in here. Majorly! But I just had to make Sakura's best friend have the Ino personality without full extent of it… (no offense to Ino-lovers!) So, it resulted in Hinata being OOC.

3. A Damphir (just because MAYBE some of you don't know), is a half-vampire, half human. I was going to use one of its other names, vampyre, pronounced vam-peer, but I figured maybe too many people would get all confused, so I just used Damphir.

Disclaimer: -sigh- need to think of a new one…hm……how bout this:

-Saturday night live-

"So, Usagi-sama, how would the world of Naruto be if you owned it?"

"Well, it would be something like this:" -shows very disturbing slide show of many Naruto characters and or scenes-

Audience: O_O…….. -twitch- - die-

Well then, uh, -cough cough- yeah. Me no owns Naruto. Enjoy!

123456789123456789123456789PIE1234WTF5666LOLLET'SSEEHOWMANYOFYOUCATCHTHAT789

xXx Sakura's point of view; Age 10 xXx

The rusted, lonely swings had but one occupying one of its many faded leather seats on this chilly Autumn day in Konoha Village. Me. Haruno Sakura. As I slowly turned my head to the side with easy grace, inspecting every aspect of the park as I could, a cool breeze sent chills dancing up my spine. My long, light pink hair whipped around my face, catching the edge of my eye, causing a dry tear to fall. I nonchalantly wiped it away, wanting no passer bys to think I was in depression, and continued my inspection, though I had to hold my silken pink skirt down as it billowed in the wind. My swing swayed lazily from side to side, sending echoing squeaks throughout the empty playground.

'_Why do I come here to think again….' _Coming here to think, at this playground, with its various startles and is-something-watching-my-every-move feelings was like going to the nearest KISS concert to think in solitary, quiet peace. It's not like I could go elsewhere, though. Not the house, with she and her noisy phone conversations, as well as disturbing aromas from her equally disturbing attempts at cooking. Pathetically, besides there, there was no where else to reject. I may only be ten, but I think of my past a lot.

I lost my parents when I was seven. My memory of the scene is slightly foggy; Sometimes I'm so desperate to grab just a little piece of what happened…I can _taste _it. But, then it slips back away into the darkness, just as easily. Here's what I do remember:

_Flashback; Sakura's pov; age seven_

It was around 3:30, the time when the Konoha elementary school released its walkers and car riders. I was dressed in a pink, yellow flower-covered shirt and creamy white shorts, with brown sandals strapped to my small feet. Me and my best friend, Sasuke-kun split to our separate ways as we walked up the stone sidewalks to our neighboring houses. But as I remembered something, I quickly turned on my heel and yelled after him.

"_Sasuke-kuuuuun! You __**promised**__ you would come help me pick out a costume today! You promised!!! " _I said, my voice obviously hopeful.

"_Yeah Sakura-…!" _He cut off and his eyes filled with regret.

"_I forgot to clean my room…there's no way Mommy and Daddy are going to let me…"_

I cringed with ostensible disappoint.

"_But…Today's…" _

"_D-don't worry Sakura! I'll make it up! I'll find a way……u-uh…" _He paused for a moment, then let out a victorious smile.

"_How 'bout we skip school tomorrow, that way I can make up for trick-or-treating too!" _Us crafty seven-year-olds shared agreeable smirks as we concocted our secret plan. I was overly joyed…Maybe this year I could actually be happy going trick-or-treating with just Hinata, and not Sasuke, who never went for an unknown reason to me. But it didn't matter now, everything would be perfect, and I couldn't wait! We said our final good-byes as I skipped up the porch steps and turned the golden knob of the door. My ears met an odd silence.

"_Mommy? Daddy? Are you heeereeeee??" _Something felt out of place, and strangely chilling. I held my small red backpack up, clutching it tight to my chest, and slowly walked towards my parents' bedroom which was opened slightly, a crack of light beaming down the unusually shadowed hallway. Icy shivers shocked my feet and spiraled up my legs with every step I took.

"_M-m-mommy……?" _I pushed the door open fully, and dropped my bag to the ground, staring in dismay at the dreadful scene that was now before my innocent eyes. My parents were no where in sight, but _blood_ was plentiful. It was sliding down the walls, soaking the white shag carpet…_everywhere._ Blood was everywhere. Everywhere… The walls had taken enormous beatings, drywall and wood thrown to every part of the room. The poor bed's headboard had a large crack in it, and the oil portrait of mother was on the ground beside the dresser with a very large rip through the center that seemed to have been made with a kusarigama. **(A/n A traditional Japanese weapon that consists of a sickle {a scythe-like blade} on a metal chain with a heavy metal weight at the end; source = .org/wiki/Kusarigama)** All of the decorative ornaments were smashed to pieces, and thrown across the room; Shattered glass was everywhere, for the small television had dropped from the dresser and busted apart.

My emerald eyes shrunk into themselves and my brain did a restart, but choked on the actual 'start' part. I immediately blacked out. I was blind, seeing nothing but darkness. My name echoed within my own mind, the sound coming from graceful, yet immensely saddened vocal chords. It sounded like…Mother.

"_Sakura…my Sakura…I'm so sorry, I love you…Sakura…My dear Sakura…" _

That is the last thing my ears ever heard my Mother's voice say.

After I awoke from being shocked into a coma for several days (Sasuke-kun being the one who found me), my body was weak and frail. The female doctor who had been attending to me introduced herself as Tsunade. She was now, by law, my legal guardian. I had expected it to be someone of my actual family, before I realized I had no others. Just Mommy and Daddy and Sasuke-kun. And now I didn't even have Mommy or Daddy. Now it was just Sasuke-kun. Just him… My parents were also legally pronounced dead after being missing and searched for for many consecutive years. Today, October 31st, was so many things. The anniversary of my parent's death, the day of Halloween…and the day of my birth.

The clouds covered the sun today, and for a brief moment, I truly thought I was the only one in the park. But I knew better… There was always one other, atop the highest branch in the oak tree in the middle of the playground, just to the right of the sandbox. One who's pale blue eyes I could always so easily get lost in. Solid red hair which looked softer than clouds, yet I dared not touch something so…indescribable. His name was Gaara. His demeanor was like that of no other. It held so many secrets, so much mysteriousness; A puzzle waiting to be put together, I thought. I never did figure out which feature of his it was that caused my young innocence to fall weak to him.

I stood, swaying with a slight light-headedness and sauntered over to the sandbox, the feel of his eyes on my back. Part of me hoped he would be watching, and part of me dreaded the very thought. The stronger part, though, was the part that wanted to get away; The part that wanted to leave all of the horrid memories behind right now…

One toe poked into the sand, then an entire foot stamped an impression. I sat on my bottom with my legs beside me, sunk my hands into the cool, damp sand, and, out of all things, started to construct a castle. I used the butt of my hand to round and straighten the entire perimeter of the dirt pile, and carefully used a pinkie to etch the top into consecutive up and down half-squares. I then sunk my hand into the top and lifted out the sand carefully, creating a hollow castle. The excess sand was used to make clumps at the base of the castle, like large, guarding rocks. I grabbed a nearby twig so that I could make rounded doors and small circle windows on the front and back of my castle. Close to finishing, I did the most cliché part, and dug out a moat around my work. Looking for something to top off my mini-masterpiece, I turned my head again, spotting a couple orange leaves. Reaching for it, some inner instinct suddenly kicked in and sensed something; My hands reacted fast and jerked back, out of the way, just in time to be avoid being squashed by someone's large feet. My castle!!

"Oi, that was my-…!" I trailed off, automatically being pulled into the ray of someone's large, beautiful, eyes.

'_Gaara…' _It was him…It was Gaara. Many time before had I see his face from afar, but never so close as this. His face was easily ten times as captivating, and his hair looked a shade deeper red. His voice was even more handsome, more easily dizzying…

"Sorry…" He leaped the remainder of the sandbox and crunched dry, discolored leaves for a few steps before stopping. Taking advantage of the awkward moment I stood, brushing away sand from my skirt and straightening my white tank top. I didn't dare to walk forward until he moved away a good ten yards, so I just stood there…and somehow my ears caught that angelic voice of his as he let a few words fall out of his mouth.

"It was very good, though." With that, I think the blurriness of my eyes were able to see him walk off towards the street that led to the one he lived on. Needles pricked across my face, all the way up to the tips of my ears. The cool wind swept by and carried my blush off with it as I, dumbfounded, began to walk to the place where I lived.

The walk to Tsunade's house from the park, or from anywhere for that matter, was familiar enough to where I wasn't worried when the sky began to darken. I crossed the road, not bothering to look both ways. My eyes met that of a graffiti stop sign that now read 'don't stop', and I helped it fall the rest of the way that it was lacking to be on the sidewalk. As I continued the walk left down Akashi st., menacing guard dogs snarled, trying to get past their fences and do me harm. Whatever… I turned into the 4th gravel driveway on the left, brushing away the pain of rocks in my bare feet. I was soon up the wobbly steps of the wooden porch and inside the small house. It has two bedrooms, but for some reason I sleep on the pull out sofa in the living room next to the kitchen. A capricious choice nonetheless, I will not change my mind. Sleeping in a locked room by myself made me feel too apprehensive for my own ten-year-old good.

I was greeted by the smell of something that I think was attempting to be stew.

"Sakura! You're just in time for dinner--yeah, she just got home. No, I don't where she was. So, what? You calling me a bad parent?"

"Guardian. And I was at the park," I said. Tsunade looked hurt as she plopped more ingredients in her stew and carried on with her phone conversation. No one could ever use the word 'guardian' around her, though I had no idea why she felt she need to be that of a loving, never-leave-you-alone parent. I wasn't 'troubled' at all, like our in-home therapist had told her last week. Screw him…

Flopping on my couch/bed I picked up my cell phone and dialed the speed dial number of my best friend… I heard a sigh at the other end.

"…yes, Asuma, I know. OK, whatever! Girr….yes _sir._ Hello?"

"What was that all about?"

"Forgot to clean my room…"

"Don't you mean your part of it?"

"Hn…I thought you were going trick-or-treating with Hinata."

"Nah, she had plans I think."

"Funny, I called her and she said you canceled on her."

"…"

"Sakura?"

"I'm here, Sasuke-kun…but it doesn't matter, she's gonna go with Naruto instead,"

"Who?!"

"SAKURA GET OFF YOUR PHONE!!" Oh, Jesus…. It was before nine o' clock PM, the time when my minutes were unlimited. Hypocrite. She uses her cell phone all the time (on the same plan), and then uses the house phone all day, so how does she expect me to talk?

"Sigh…Sasuke-kun can you get online?"

"I'm already on."

"Man, you're good." I hung up the phone and walked over to the desktop computer in the corner of the living room. The internet's super slow and the computer's old as crud so it took me a good ten minutes to turn the thing on, and another ten to sign online and into my instant messaging account. I immediately received an instant message from Sasuke when I signed in.

xXxChicken-AssxXx: …

~Lovely-Pink-Angel~: what?

xXxChicken-AssxXx: Do I really have to use this account U made for me?!

~Lovely-Pink-Angel~: Yes, u do.

xXxChicken-AssxXx: -sigh- It took u long enough 2 sign on!

~Lovely-Pink-Angel~: -is ignoring u- It sounds like Tsunade is ordering groceries now. Wait… I hear: garlic, rice, soy sauce, and potatoes. I don't think I'm eating stew tonight…..

xXxChicken-AssxXx: "…"

~Lovely-Pink-Angel~: don't suppose you're having anything better…

xXxChicken-AssxXx: Asuma doesn't cook. We're having take-out.

I looked at the screen and sighed, trying to think of something to say to that. Anything would work, but sometimes I felt Sasuke dealt with me all the time just _because _we were best friends. Somewhere I knew that wasn't true, though… I just wish that feeling could help me feel less pathetic. I lost my parents three years ago, and was still whining about it. Sasuke-kun lost his, as well as his older brother, just this year, and he doesn't show any sign of depression about having to live with Asuma, Neji, Kiba, and Shikamaru. Around Thanksgiving…so soon. I couldn't possibly feel any _more_ pathetic, needless to say any _less_.

~Lovely-Pink-Angel~: I would kill for it right now…

xXxChicken-AssxXx: Asuma just about had to…

~Lovely-Pink-Angel~: huh? What do you mean?

xXxChicken-AssxXx: Hn…

~Lovely-Pink-Angel~: oh, Sasuke, pleeeeezz?

xXxChicken-AssxXx: Hn.

~Lovely-Pink-Angel~: but Sasuke-kuuuuun!!!

xXxChicken-AssxXx: Hn.

xXxChicken-AssxXx: Hn.

xXxChicken-AssxXx: Hn.

xXxChicken-AssxXx: Hn.

xXxChicken-AssxXx: Hn.

~Lovely-Pink-Angel~: OK I GET IT!

xXxChicken-AssxXx: Hn.

~Lovely-Pink-Angel~: -sighs- well I gotta get off. Tsunade's barking at me to do chores and homework and 'y didn't I do them earlier' type stuff. Talk to u tomorrow Sasuke-kun. Bye.

xXxChicken-AssxXx: hey Sakura…

~Lovely-Pink-Angel~: yeah?

xXxChicken-AssxXx: happy b-day.

I paused for a moment, then a sheepish smile grew on my face, a light pink fluffing my cheeks.

~Lovely-Pink-Angel~: …thanks, Sasuke-kun….bye.

xXxChicken-AssxXx: bye.

xXxChicken-AssxXx has signed off.

I signed offline and turned off the computer, arising to do what Mrs. Queen of the house had instructed me to. I got some blankets from the hall closet to make up my bed, put trash in the can, changing the bag, dusted off everything with a damp rag, and washed the few dishes that were dirty. I did my simple fifth grade math homework and laid back on the bed, ready to sleep hard…

"You're not eating dinner?" Tsunade…go to bed already…you have work in the morning…leave me alone…

"No, but I might loose my lunch from the lingering smell," She stuck her tongue out at me and rinsed out the pot she used to make her lethal stew.

Then, causing me to jump straight out of my bed and land on my ass on the floor (_hard_), a loud crash was heard. Fuming, I went to the closet to get the broom, before I looked at her and realized it was a metal pot that made the noise.

"Tsunade-butterfingers!!" I called, trying to make a simple joke before bed. But she was way too busy making a joke of her own…again…for the _third_ try this week. She was trembling in 'fear', her face frozen with her arm outstretched and pointing to something behind me.

"Don't. Turn. _Around!_" She pulled stunts like this all the time; No WAY I was falling for another one.

"Yeah, uh-huh," I turned around, and saw nothing but the window. I turned back around and she was gone. My face was pressed into an exasperated look.

'_This is so like her…' _

I didn't even flinch when she shouted 'boo!' and shook me from behind. Goes to show how big of a dork she is.

"Very funny…" I climbed into bed and she went off to her own room, not even attempting to kiss me goodnight…she knew I would never take that. _Ever._ I didn't hate her, didn't even have anything against her. I just wanted her as a friend. Not as a mom or _anything_ else. A _friend._

Just on the edge of drifting to sleep, my thoughts unconsciously drifted back to today's playground scene.

"_It was very good though…"_ I could still hear his voice echoing in my mind; I could still see his face as close as it was to mine.**(A/n which wasn't very close at all… sorry, it's **_**me**_**. You know I just have to crack a random joke here. XD) **Maybe I'll go back there tomorrow…… My eyelids were dreadfully heavy now, and they were barely staying open. Only a sliver of everything around me was left. I had just enough of my awake conscious to catch a quick glance of something…red?

xXx Gaara's point of view; Age 10 xXx

Sai and I parted ways as we took different paths through the forest. My nose began the hunt. Every scent that drifted into it was that of an animal's; A deer, now a rabbit. As my hand lashed out and grabbed it, suddenly a different scent caused my nostrils to flare up. All of a sudden the boiling blood of the rabbit didn't appeal to me anymore. I dropped it, the thing springing back to life and hopping away. And so did I. I leaped through the woods, then dropped from a tree in a feline position. Run. Faster, faster, faster!! Down behind Akashi st., to the right…!**(A/n Since he's running _behind _Akashi st., when he turns right, he's turning into a house that's on the _left_)** And there she was.

I took control of my heavy breathing and put one eye, along with a tuff of red hair, up to the window's lower left corner, peering in beside the dark burgundy curtains. Her eyes had just closed tight, and I could tell she was sleeping hard. Whether I frightened or pleasured her at the playground today, I wasn't sure of. She's a mute, this one… Particularly in mind. It was almost impossible for me to peer into the outskirts of her mind and see that she was dreaming of the playground scene. The same thing, over and over. Girls are confusing, as to how they can linger on one thing for so long. Especially _human_ girls. They're minds are so hard to read, yet, according to Kakashi, they're the easiest to seduce. I'll never figure them out… **(A/n nor will any other guy, vampire or not! XD!)** I just looked at her for a moment, then grunted roughly and took off in the opposite direction, fearing that the now _aching_ hunger would overpower me to step into her house and… _No. _I couldn't, no matter how much I wanted to…. Damn it…

xXx Sakura's point of view; Age 14 xXx

"So! Using your knowledge of imaginary numbers, and _logical_ mathematic terms, the correct answer would be-- _Ms._ Haruno! Are you even _trying_ to pay attention?!" I picked up my lazy head from the desk it was just laying on, wiping drool from my mouth onto the back of my hand, then my jeans. Shizune-sensei's stern, annoyed face coming into view, I nodded my head, now nervously. I really didn't need another referral this week…

"So maybe you can give us the answer?" Shit…

"Uhhhhh… P-pie?!" Shizune-sensei's eyes widened with a quick shock, then they assumed their original monotonous narrowed position, and she moved on with her lecture.

"Ahem. Correct. Now, we move onto basic structures of advanced algebraic equations--"

BRIIIIING!

'_Saved by the bell…'_ I stuffed my folders, loose sheets of notebook paper, and pencils into my schoolbag and stood from the desk, stretching my arms high above my head.

"Uh, Sakura, I believe THIS is yours," Hinata held up a sheet of paper with "I -heart- Gaara," written inside hearts all over it. Childish as it was, I can't believe I actually did it. I think it was a mixture of boredom, boredom…and daydreams. My little infatuation for Gaara hadn't dissolved any over the years.

My cheeks burned a light pink as I snatched it from her hand and crammed it into my right back pocket. We walked out of class and to the left, towards the lockers. Get ready for the Hyuuga Hinata daily lecture of how I should just 'go ahead and ask Gaara out'. Why did she have to torture me? WHY?!?! DAMN IT!! I know I'm a wimp but it's not like she had to write it out in words then rub it in my face!

As we stood in front of the lockers, she opened her's, took out a notebook, opened it to a blank page, took out a fat black sharpie, and wrote 'ask him out' in huge letters across the middle of it. She proceeded to rip out the paper and shove it in my face, to which I gave her a I'm-gonna-cut-off-your-head-with-a-toothbrush look, and crumpled the letter into my other back pocket (the one which wasn't holding the 'I -heart- Gaara' crumply in it). I turned my locker's dial to its combo, put my school stuff in, took my lunch out, and slammed it shut. We started our walk to the cafeteria, and she, unfortunately, continued her lecture. Having memorized it, I mocked her with an open mouth the whole way.

"You like him sooooo much, yet all you ever do is watch him from the sidelines!! Go, ahead, and, ASK! HIM! OUT!! Oh, and use the puppy eyes you use on Naruto; there's no WAY he can turn those down!" I sighed roughly.

"Hinata, you as well as I know that those eyes only work on Naruto. There's no way _Gaara _would fall for them…besides, he would just reject me; I know it…" Her face twisted into a mixed expression of annoyance and impatientness.

"Yeah, but you still don't know unless you try,"

"I'm still not asking him,"

"Oh, you're impossible!" she grunted. As we arrived at the cafeteria, she walked to the lunch line with Naruto. I dumped the lunch that Tsunade packed me into the can before sitting at one of the soft, chilly wooden tables. The chairs were also cold; Why is it that the cafeteria is always colder than the rest of the school?! **(A/n for real…)**

I glanced over at Hinata flirting with Naruto in the lunch line, and then looked to the opposite side at Sasuke, who was picking out tomatoes from the salad bar. I crossed my arms in front of me on the table, shivers prickling my arms. The table must've been colder than I thought, but I ignored it and laid my head down on my arms, sighing. Why did it seem like I was sighing more than I should lately? I heard a chair being pulled out to my right, where the back of my head was facing. Not really knowing who it was, I just ignored it and kept my position loosely.

"I'm not hungry, but you look like it. I assume Tsunade's a horrible cook; You've been throwing your lunch away every day for the past two weeks. Want it?" I couldn't believe me ears! Of course everyone at school _knew_ I lived with Tsunade, but no one had EVER been brave enough to just come out and talk to me about it! How dare they! I whipped around with deadly speed and an even deadlier look in my eyes, then froze all the way down to my toes.

'_I…I can't believe I didn't recognize his v-voice…!' _It was Gaara, sitting right there beside me. Maybe we spoke to each other a tad bit more than when we were ten, but not enough to make a difference! It's not like we were…friends…

Of course, though, my grumbling stomach had to ruin the moment and erupt with such a growl that I was sure everyone in the cafeteria heard it.

"I'll take that as a yes," He slid the tray in front of me, and our eyes caught each other's for the briefest moment. I felt my whole face burn with embarrassment, and the simple fact that he was actually looking into my eyes. My head was still down slightly, so technically I was looking up at him. The view of his whole face just before mine…yet I couldn't take me eyes off of his. It's like they were staring at more than my eyes…like they were staring into my mind. And just as he stood up to walk off, I saw the corners of his mouth turn up into a…_smile?!?! _Or was it a smirk?!! A smirk-smile?!?!?! Before the image of the whatever-it-was could register in my mind, he was across the cafeteria, seated at a table with Sai, Temari, and Shino. Was it just me, or were _all of them_ now staring at me……

"SAKURA!" I snapped back into reality, jumping a little, and faced Hinata, Sasuke, and Naruto, who were all in front of me.

"What's the matter with you?!" Hinata yelled, basically screaming.

"You never space out like that," Sasuke pointed out. Naruto looked over to where I had been staring and pursed his lips.

"It's because _Gaara's _over there," he said, pretending to not care, and slurping up his cup of chicken ramen. Trying to stare at all three of them at the same time was pretty tough, but my attention was mostly drawn to Sasuke at this point.

His eyes seemed to have narrowed when Naruto (his _newly _acquired friend…erm, acquaintance), pointed this out. The onyx in them seemed to darken a bit--or did it lighten? His constantly-changing eye color always confused the hell outta me, but why they were changing now only confused me more. They usually only changed color when he was worried…or angry. Furious to be exact. It's not like they changed with every mood. I pushed my fork off the table when no one was looking, and reached down to grab it, looking under the table. Just as I thought…Sasuke was silently clenching and unclenching his fists. What was the matter with him?! I didn't dare ask, just brought my fork up and leaned back, only to sigh again.

I looked at the food in front of me, and brought it to my mouth, not realizing how hungry I actually was. Today's lunch was a simple hamburger and fries, with chocolate milk. Wait a second…didn't Gaara always get two-percent? Why would he just get chocolate, the only milk I'll drink, today…

"Sakura, why don't you just pack your own lunch? You're not gonna last all week with five dollars, and what about next week?!!" Naruto, practically yelling, busted in my face. I glared at him.

"How did you know I only had five dollars?" He shrugged.

"Well, knowing you…" I glared at him again, and he laughed, bringing up a new conversation with Hinata, who was to his side. Sasuke sitting directly across from me, suddenly got up, weirdly still looking in the direction of where Gaara was sitting. What the hell was he doing? He walked to the end of the table, back around, then pulled out the chair Gaara had just recently been sitting in, and plopped down beside me.

"Sasuke-kun?" He turned his back to Gaara and the others, and looked down at my lunch, frowning.

"Did you buy that today?" He had been in the lunch line at the right of the cafeteria, with a clear view of my and Gaara's conversation. I wondered if he had seen it or not, and if he was testing me to see if I would tell. I contemplated as to whether I should tell him or not, and decided it'd be much simpler if I just avoided the question all together. No way that was gonna happen though…I was screwed.

"U-uh, well, n-not exactly…" Sasuke and I had been friends for so long, I found myself struggling to lie to him.

"Hn…" Wait, whoa. REWIND! Did he just _not_ accuse and start asking questions? Did he for _real_ just give me his nonchalant, 'Hn'?!?! This day was getting more confusing by the second…

xXx Sasuke's point of view; age 14 xXx

She didn't have to tell me _he_ had given it to her for me to know. The fact that I actually saw him give it to her didn't matter; His scent was everywhere. I could smell it on the tray, and, damn him, in the seat I was sitting in. But I wouldn't let his eyes fall on her body any more… I don't care _how_ he was looking at her, because _any_ damn way wasn't good. I had to clench my fists even after I sat down beside her to keep from heaving the tray across the cafeteria, though my nose detected nothing in it. It was normal, but it had still been touched by _his_ hands. The hands that were attached to the body, that was attached to the head, that held the eyes that have been _intentionally_ seducing her from day one. I didn't know how much longer I would be able to hold myself back.

xXx Sakura's point of view; age 14 xXx

I spent 5th period in La-La -Land, and even while I was dodging big, red balls in 6th period gym, I still wasn't in the real world. 7th period was study hall, so I spent it sleeping a solid black dream, and 8th was elective, so I decided to skip it. How I got put in 8th period _chorus_, I'll never know; I can't carry a tune in a wheelbarrow, though I do like to hum in the shower occasionally.

I thought about catching the town's bus home, but realized it was only 3:00, an hour before the next one came, and school would be out by then. I did say that a walk from anywhere to Tsunade's house was possible, right? I snuck out of the school's parking lot and began to walk down the sidewalk under the tree's cool shade. And for some reason, my back twitched. Huh? I looked down and noticed that my feet had stopped, and I was staring straight ahead of myself, not daring to move the slightest inch. My whole body tensed up; That inner instinct that had avoided my hands being crushed by Gaara's feet so long ago was kicking in again. It was sensing something again. My mind screamed, 'Run! _Run!_', but my feet were super-glued in place. What was this feeling?! Was there something _behind_ me?! My head moved to the right ever so slightly, and a hand clamped down on my shoulder. I screamed as my body flew around, then fell, landing and sliding on the sidewalk on my ass. My eyes shook as they stared at familiar feet, and all of a sudden I felt my cheeks burn deep red as I dared to look the body the rest of the way up (though not even having to to know who it already was).

"Sorry I scared you," Gaara stuck a hand out, and it took me a while to recover the slightest bit and take it. His hand…it was so soft, even in the summer heat, I almost forgot to let go when my feet were flat on the ground again. He picked up my tan-cloth school bag and put a lot of papers inside the top before handing it to me. He saw my confused face and answered it.

"Couldn't help but over-hear when you told Sasuke that Tsunade was making you try out for a sport; So I got all the registration forms I could," he explained.

"O-oh…yeah...th-thanks…" I put a hand to my head as I remembered Tsunade telling me that this morning. But wait, when did I ever tell Sasuke-kun? Maybe I just forgot, and of course, falling on my now very sore ass probably shook me up more than I thought.

"I would walk you home, but I've got somewhere I need to be," I bent my head down slightly, blushing more, and swung my bag around my shoulder.

"Th-that's fine; You didn't have to a-anyway," I couldn't even picture it, him walking me home. Us two walking _together! _

"I'll definitely next time, though. Ja," Once again, Gaara succeeded in leaving me dumbfounded. As he said goodbye to me and walked off, I made absolutely SURE to myself that there was NOT going to be a next time. Just the thought of him walking beside me, being so close that I could touch him… I wouldn't be able to handle it.

A slight cough escaped my mouth as I turned on my heel and began to sprint home, a sudden nausea coming over me. All the way down Gakkou dr., cross the street to the right, barely looking both ways. What was this feeling? It had been Gaara who was behind me, yet I still felt like something was following me. I had to escape it; It was getting closer, whatever it was. My lungs filled with fire, my chest burning as I ran faster, an open mouth gasping for air. As I neared the end of Ageha dr., I took a left and ran halfway down Giroa lane, then crossed the street to the right again and onto Akashi st. Faster, faster, almost there! I counted down the house numbers: 9, 8, 7... I swore my side was splitting open, but my feet didn't stop. I could barely breath now, as it was right on my ass. Come on, come on, almost there!!! Shivers crawled up my back, and as I turned sharply on my right foot and into the gravel driveway, my whole body gave way, and I flew forward, crashing into the gravel rocks. My chest heaved in and out, and I choked, coughing violently as I clutched my aching, throbbing side with now stinging, cut arms. My eyes only saw blurred colors for a moment until my coughing ceased to heavy, raspy breathing. I saw nothing but the white station wagon, gravel driveway, and the woods in front of me. I quickly gathered all my papers that had flown out of my school bag with one hand, grabbed my bag in the other, raced to the porch and up the wooden steps, opened the door with both hands, and ran inside, slamming the door shut.

xXx Gaara's point of view; age 14 xXx

I glared at Sai as he landed beside me from above, an evil smirk, and laughing eyes occupying his face.

"Why scare the girl?" I questioned.

"Why not?" he smart-aleckly questioned back. Temari's face held neutral as my eyes narrowed down to slits.

"You're _antagonizing _her, Sai. You're toying with her instincts,"

"Which I am well aware of," he stated, closing his eyes and leaning back against a tree. At that I took a step over to him and took hold of his neck, forcing him all the way up against the tree. My eyes met his and darkened to a black-crimson, showing my fury.

"Kicking her instincts in more often will only drive her to research as to what causes them," I paused for a moment, taking in a breath.

"And we all know what happens if she realizes _any _of _that_," I let him go, and began to walk off, then turned back.

"Only toy with her when need be, Sai," I began to walk off towards the house, still-neutral Temari following. I heard Sai grunt then jump up into the trees, leaping to get home before us. I stopped, turning around again and zoned in on Sakura who was quickly gathering her things, a terrified look on her face. She went inside, slamming the door shut.

"Hm…" Temari murmured unconsciously, and as I turned back around to begin my walk, I leaped into the trees, suddenly wanting to arrive home as fast as Sai, with Temari following the both of us.

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HOLY JEBUS!! I have NEVER written this much before, and, from the almost-exact words of Purplecherry5's Blood red and Onyx memories, I am just ON the 12-page marker. It took about three days, but DAMN it's sure going to be worth it! I hope… -sweat drop- Well, I worked really hard, so even if ya' h8 it, PLEASE review! I would so lurve and appreciate that. -squee- Arigatou, mina-san! (thanks everyone!)

BYE-BEEEE!

P.s. first to review gets a big cookie :DDD!

-Usagi-Chan


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